Child
by Little Patch of Heaven
Summary: You have been through so much. But really, you are only a child. .sora riku friendship. .oneshot.


_Trying out a different style with this one, so this story is really just an experiment.  
Has anyone else tried to format something stylistically with and then realized it just won't let you? It's annoying!_

_please review!_

**_Disclaimer: No, Kingdom Hearts does not belong to me. Oh wait! No...nope...still isn't mine._**

* * *

you are only four

.but you watch as your father walks out of the house and you wait patiently for a year before you figure it out. You hear your mother cry at night but oh, you pretend not too. It's because you're scared and you have no clue what to do for her. You cry at night sometimes too. But you soon grow out of it, because crying doesn't seem to do any good. So you learn how to smile instead.

.

.

you are only six

.as you watch the other boys play on the beach with their dads. You teach yourself to swim and play catch with yourself, though it's rather hard to do when the ball won't come back to you. You have decided that you hate the beach and don't think you'll be coming back. You're surprised to see another boy standing all alone. A plan forms in your six year old mind and you throw the ball at the silver haired boy. After a moment of confusion, he returns it. On the beach, the two of you play catch together.

.

.

you are only seven

.the day you discover all the bruises on your best friend's arm and chest. They're usually covered up by his shirt, and your seven year old mind begins to piece together that maybe this is the reason he never wants to swim. He promises they're from sword-fighting practice. Nothing major, he tells you. But even you're smart enough to know he's lying. You don't really know what to say so you accept the lie and say nothing. Instead you splash him with water and suggest a race. Because even if you can't comfort the silver haired boy, you can distract him.

.

.

you are only eight

.when Riku first teaches you to swordfight. It's fun and entertaining for a boy as young as yourself and you enjoy the thrill of avoiding Riku's blows. It doesn't take long for the fight to get nasty, and the silver haired boy's jabs and swings get fiercer and stronger. You even start to develop bruises from where you've been hit. You try to tell him to stop, but he doesn't seem to hear. His face is twisted in concentration, as if this play fight is really important. Riku isn't really even seeing you, you realize. He's seeing someone else as he swings and jabs and fights for his life.

.

.

you are only nine

.the night you see Riku cry for the first time. It's scary to see the stronger, faster, older boy bawling as he hugs himself in your special cave. It terrifies you and you want nothing more than to run and hide and pretend you never saw it. But your friend looks so alone, just like he did all those years ago on the beach, and somehow you know that you're the only one to ever see Riku this way. So you hug him awkwardly, even though every instinct is screaming to run, because you know someone needs to be there for him.

.

.

you are only thirteen

.the afternoon Riku announces his plan. Kairi seems thrilled, excited, and you would be too if you didn't question his reasons. You know that under the boy's vest there are bruises and cuts, none of them from sword fighting, and you think you know why your friend wants so desperately to leave the islands. Honestly, you don't really want to leave, but you're absolutely certain that if no one else will join him, Riku will go alone. Someone has to be there for him when he pretends not to cry so you make a decision right then and there. When Riku leaves Destiny Island, you will follow him.

.

.

you are only fourteen

.when the home you've known all your life disappears before your very eyes. So much happens after that, and it's going so fast that you don't think you can keep up. Riku **betrays** you. Somehow, you can't bring yourself to hate him. No, not even for a moment. You watch as Riku shuts the Door to Darkness and wish that it was you, because the darkness will be so, so much worse than the bruises.

.

.

you are only fifteen

.when you're asked to choose. It's hard, because there are so many memories you want to keep and you know you can't keep them all. You don't know what to do. The answer comes when you think of your best friend, still stumbling through the darkness, with hidden bruises and pretend braveness. After all, if you aren't there for Riku, who will be there when he cries? You make your choice.

.

.

you are only sixteen

.when it's finally all over. You're home and you know you should be **happy**. You aren't. You've been through so much and you don't think smiling will work this time. All the memories, fear, guilt, and stress build up until you feel like you're about to burst. You don't remember coming to the secret cave. You don't remember sitting down on the damp rocks and letting the tears come. You **do **remember when strong arms encircle you. You feel safe, safer than you ever felt with the keyblade in your hands. You don't think it's fair of you to force him to be the stronger one for once; after all, he's been through so much worse. But you don't think he minds really, so you let him hold you and you

cry and cry and cry

because really

you're only a

child


End file.
